Exactly 3 years ago today (on September 30, 2010 at 9:25pm ET), our Claire Emmanuelle entered the world.

Face scrunched and red, fists tightly clenched, and already lifting her head just a few minutes after birth, I knew right then and there that she would be a special one.

Now, at 3(!) years old, Claire is a bright, silly, and sassy little lady. She is so smart and so talented and so funny. (And I’m not just saying these things because she’s my daughter!) She reminds me of myself in so many ways — and many people tell me that she looks exactly like I did at her age — but she is a better version of me. She is loving and affectionate. She is confident but not overly so. She is imaginative and hilariously creative.

In other words, she never ceases to amaze me.

Happy birthday, my love. I am so proud to be your mother, and I thank God for you every day.